


the comfort of this house

by FoxGlade



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Asexual Character, BECAUSE WE DESERVE MORE HAPPY FAMILY AUS, Gen, Multi, Non-Linear Narrative, Poly Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-31
Updated: 2016-03-31
Packaged: 2018-05-30 02:32:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6405154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FoxGlade/pseuds/FoxGlade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>seven excerpts from a life where everything went right</p>
            </blockquote>





	the comfort of this house

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY APRIL POLYSHIPPING DAY EVERYONE!! can u believe that i never knew about this monthly event before a few days ago?? luckily im a shameful individual and have been steadily writing Happy Wanime Family Time drabbles for the past few months, and therefore just needed to yank some pieces out of it to upload here (and re-write some of the more embarrassing bits). please consider any change in tense to be symbolic and definitely not because im very tired and cant be bothered re-wording entire segments of fic.
> 
> title is from Lakehouse, by Of Monsters and Men, mostly bcause thats where i got the title of my last "happy skywalker family" fic. (if ur still waiting on an update to that..... well. stay subscribed, but its very much dormant at this point)
> 
> i cant rly blame shena for the fic, as its all from a Shame Document of my own doing, but i will blame them for creating the pairing name "wanime", which i now use with such frequency that i forget its not the accepted ship name
> 
> on an unrelated note, support the artist and follow me @ [wanime.tumblr.com](http://wanime.tumblr.com/) if u like this content

On average, Anakin reflected, he’d probably woken up later during his days as a padawan at the Jedi Temple.

“Come ooooon, Dad!” Leia complained as her brother enthusiastically shook Anakin’s shoulder with his tiny hands. He still couldn’t believe how small they were, even after six years. “Aunt ‘soka’s waiting!”

“And she told you to come get me, did she?” he murmured. Padmé, ever the light sleeper, shifted slightly closer to him, enough that he could feel her smiling against his chest.

“And Ben too,” Leia informed him with an air of superior knowledge. She was so much like Padmé, in more than looks, although Padmé herself was always quick to point out the ways in which she took after Anakin more.

“He’s meditating,” Luke added, settling down and then flopping over Anakin’s shoulder, reaching over him to pat Padmé’s hair. “He said to do it without him today. We don’t have to do meditation later, right?”

“If Obi-Wan says you do, then you do,” Anakin said firmly. Sleep was definitely a lost cause now – as if sensing the thought (an impossibility in a Force-null being, but sometimes Anakin wondered), Padmé rolled away and sat up, tugging her nightgown back into immaculate place. Anakin sat up more slowly, with their son still hanging off him and their daughter now in his lap.

“Come on, Dad,” Leia insisted again, tugging at his hand. Anakin glanced over at Padmé and saw her smiling fondly at the scene; the same smile was surely on his own face.

“Kids, let me change into my training clothes first,” he said gently, lifting first Leia than Luke off his body and onto the floor, where they gave identical bright grins before racing off, tripping over each other and calling out to Ahsoka.

Padmé gave a small laugh at their enthusiasm. “To be young,” she said, then laughed aloud again as Anakin pulled her into an embrace.

“You sound like Obi-Wan,” he complained, and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Are you talking with Bail today?”

Her shoulder dropped. “Later this morning,” she confirmed, the relaxed atmosphere of the morning leaving abruptly. “We tested the frequency earlier – it should be secure, for now.”

“I’ll keep the kids out of the way,” Anakin promised. He could feel himself becoming tense, agitated, just from the sudden tension – maybe it would be best if he joined Obi-Wan in his meditation, rather than Ahsoka and the twins. “If you go out and watch them now, they’ll probably show off their new skills for you.” He wondered if Padmé knew he was including Ahsoka in that statement as well.

“I wonder who they get that from,” Padmé murmured, and she smiled as she did so. She knew, Anakin thought with satisfaction. She stood and stretched, then swept off to dress for the day, absently kissing him as she did so. “Tell Obi-Wan that he’s making breakfast today,” she called over her shoulder.

“Aye, General,” Anakin called back with a salute, standing too. He could feel a warm, contented hum glowing across the bond, the kind Obi-Wan always gave off after interacting with the twins; if he took advantage of it, maybe he could convince him to make those Stewjon breakfast cakes again…

\---

“We just need a night off,” Padmé had said, tucking Leia more securely into Shmi’s arms. She gave the younger woman a fond look, as if to remind her that she had, in fact, held children before.

“Of course,” she said, her smile kind. Behind her, Luke gave another gentle tug on Qui-Gon’s long hair, laughing at the exaggerated expression he made. “You know I’m always happy to be around my grandchildren.”

“I know, mom,” Anakin said, strolling up beside Padmé and putting a hand on her shoulder. “Just call if anything happens, alright?”

Shmi bounced Leia a little and rolled her eyes. “If I could take care of you, Ani, I can take care of anything these twins throw at me.”

“And I can take care of anything they literally throw,” Qui-Gon added. Even at eight months, the twins had been getting fairly proficient at using the Force to reach for toys just out of reach, or throwing food at each other. “Believe me, I’ll take them any day of the week, as long as it’s in the name of getting Obi-Wan to relax.”

Anakin laughed, the brief spike of annoyance telling him that Obi-Wan had heard the remark from the other room. “I’ll do my best.”

“All of you, do your best to relax,” Shmi said. “We’ll see you tomorrow. A little before noon, perhaps?” She gave a knowledgeable smile and Anakin groaned.

“We’re not teenagers, mom, I doubt we’ll be hungover,” he complained, but Shmi only laughed as she ushered Qui-Gon to the door, hitching up Leia in her arms to give a one handed wave goodbye.

“I thought they’d never leave,” Anakin groaned, dropping his head onto Padmé’s shoulder. She patted his hair absently.

“Be nice,” she teased. “They’re your parents.”

“Only one of them is mine,” he argued.

“And one of them is mine,” Obi-Wan interjected, slipping into the room. Padmé rolled her eyes.

“Well, they’re both _mine_ , then,” she said. Deftly, she took the bottle of wine held loosely in Obi-Wan’s hand by his side, waving it slightly. “And they’re both gone. Let’s start relaxing, shall we?”

“Knew you were the smart one.” Padmé laughed slightly when Anakin pressed a noisy kiss to her cheek on his way past her to the kitchen. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes, but his lips quirked at the sight.

It would be a good night, she vowed silently as she followed Anakin, pouring the wine into three glasses and toasting with the two men she considered family. One night, free from duty and stress. One night to tide them over for the next few months.

\---

This, Obi-Wan thought, was one of those situations where, if Anakin or Padmé were here, he’d make a joke about not having any input into the decision to have children. But, then again, if either one of them were here, he wouldn’t be, so the point was moot.

Regardless, he still felt the childish need to tell the principal that it wasn’t _his_ fault, as the woman read the list of Luke and Leia’s crimes. In the small seats next to him, the two in question sat sullenly.

“Mister Kenobi,” the principal said after a moment of silence. “I understand your reasoning for placing them in formal education, rather than continue with home-schooling, in regards to letting your children grow socially. But that will only happen if they _allow_ it.”

There was that same childish urge, this time insisting that they weren't  _his_ children - but that thought was easily subdued. At this stage, it would be a lie anyway. “I understand,” he said shortly. “I’m sure they just need a bit more time,” he added. As if to spite him, he felt a familiar tell-tale whisper in the Force, somewhere in the back of his head, that was almost like overhearing a private conversation without being able to discern the words. Without looking over at them, he took a moment to give both the twins the mental equivalent to a light slap on the back of the head. They both startled slightly, then sat up straight, giving identical expressions of “yes of course we’re paying attention to the adults, _do_ go on”. Of all the traits to inherit from their father…

“We pride ourselves on preparing students for further public service,” the principal said, “and social bonds between students are an important part of that. It’s admirable that they have such a strong bond, but…”

“Too strong by half,” Obi-Wan muttered, then said in a louder voice, “But they must foster friendships outside one another, of course. I’ll speak to them about it.” The principal looked almost disproportionately relieved, and Obi-Wan made a mental note to send her a fruit basket at some point.

The walk back to the speeder was silent, for approximately ten seconds. “I believe I’ve told you before that it’s rude to talk across a Force bond in the presence of someone else, outside dangerous situations,” he said, making his voice as frosty as possible. “And you’ll forgive me for thinking that we are, in fact, quite safe right now. Or have I missed some imminent danger?”

Luke avoided his eyes, shrugging and hunching over slightly, but Leia stared directly at him. “We were just talking,” she said defensively.

“And you can do that out loud,” Obi-Wan replied. “How do you think your mother would feel if I spent all my time talking with Anakin mentally? How would _you_ feel?”

“Left out,” Luke muttered. Leia subtly tried to trip him, only to get kicked lightly in return. “We’re just used to it!”

“Then get _un_ -used to it,” Obi-Wan said firmly. “Talk to other people. Let them in. It won’t kill you.”

“It might,” Leia said, and whether it was an automatic stubborn response or a comment on their life of precarious peace and safety, Obi-Wan couldn’t tell. She was sharp, even at the age of nine.

“It won’t,” he replied. “Now come on, your mother is getting home later tonight, and I seem to recall a pair of promises to help me cook dinner…”

\---

Although often missing one or two members, the family had always tried to find time to spend together as a family. As it happened, this mostly occurred during Senate Debate Time, as broadcast on the HoloNet for any who cared to watch. Although it was a live feed of galactic senators debating the very laws that the galaxy abided by, few choose to tune in.

Padmé Naberrie, formerly Senator Amidala of Naboo, formerly Queen Amidala, was of course one of them.

She hissed as the senator for a small Mid Rim planet fired back at a much more prominent figure, causing another round of shouts to echo across the enormous chamber. “They’re going to be pressed into a corner, now,” she said, sympathetic. Leia made a noise of agreement from where she was sitting on the floor, leaning back against Padmé’s legs.

“Corrdair is in the middle of their largest drought in a century, aren’t they?” she asked, scratching a note onto her tablet. “No wonder they’re frustrated – the dominant species there isn’t that long-lived, it must seem like…”

“Like no one is willing to give them the help they need, in the time frame they need it,” Padmé agreed. Leia hummed and wrote something else down.

The two of them were watching with rapt attention, although the other occupants of the room were less enthusiastic. Luke was sprawled on his stomach closer to the holovid, running his fingers over a model starship he’d been working on, occasionally humming to himself. Anakin was sitting nearby with a small toolkit, holding a tiny screwdriver in his mouth as he fiddled with the inner mechanics of his arm. When he’d pulled the panels open earlier in the evening, Obi-Wan had mildly scolded him, saying he’d get grease on the floor, but the man had long since fallen asleep on Padmé’s shoulder, breathing quietly and peacefully.

The senators on the holo still hadn’t calmed down, and when Padmé checked the time, she had to admit defeat. “It’s almost over, and I doubt they’ll get anything done in the last five minutes,” she said. Leia rolled her eyes and muttered something – she was already so passionate about the state of the galaxy, and was planning on applying for a junior position at the Palace soon. It was a somewhat lesser position than the one Padmé had had when she was fourteen, but a part of her still ached to see her daughter determined to follow the same difficult path she’d taken.

Of course, the rest of her was fiercely proud, and determined to support her in any way possible. Even if that support took the form of watching Debate Time together and discussing political gossip together.

“Aww, we can’t even watch anything fun after that?” Luke complained as Leia switched off the holo. “Dad, you said there was a doc on the new snub fighters…”

“No,” Padmé said firmly as Anakin opened his mouth to reply. “You both have school tomorrow, and it’s late enough as it is. See, even Obi-Wan is asleep.” As if to punctuate her point, Obi-Wan shifted on her shoulder and sighed in his sleep.

“Yeah, because he’s boring,” Anakin said. Luke punched his knee lightly.

“He’s sensible,” Padmé corrected. “Go on, you two. Sleep.”

Leia rose and hugged Padmé briefly, then went to the kitchen for a glass of water as Luke stood and stretched. He mumbled a goodnight to her and Anakin before making his way to his room, stopping briefly to let Leia catch up. Padmé heard the start of a muted conversation before the door closed behind them.

Anakin was stretching too, panels on his arm closed up once more. There was a slight grease smudge on the floor where he’d been sitting – Padmé decided to let Obi-Wan find it in the morning. At the thought, she jostled Obi-Wan, hoping to wake him, but he just muttered something and stayed firmly asleep.

“Can you get him?” she asked Anakin, but he was already shaking the man’s shoulder.

“Come on, old man,” he said, not without fondness, before hauling him upright and fitting an arm around his waist. Padmé smothered a laugh at the somewhat bewildered expression that formed on Obi-Wan’s face as he was forced into wakefulness.

“What time is it?” he asked with a rusty voice. He rubbed a hand over his eyes and then let it hover over the hand Anakin had on his waist, clearly deliberating on whether or not to slap it away, before simply patting it once. It was oddly endearing to watch.

“Bed,” she said, instead of anything else she could have said. “Which is much more comfortable than my shoulder, I assure you.” He didn’t respond, but his ears went slightly red, and Anakin laughed.

\---

Padmé had been gone for three days, and Anakin was beginning to think that he may have been _slightly_ overconfident in his estimation of how it would go.

“Obi-Wan, can you- just- hold on,” he said as Leia spat her food out again. He picked up another spoonful and coaxed it into the three month old’s mouth… only for her to spit it out again. And not just a dribble either – she spat it with force, although thankfully not with Force. “Obi-Wan, she likes you more, can you make her..?”

“Only if we trade,” he heard a voice say, and when he looked around, Leia’s twin brother was being held at arm’s length by a very disgruntled looking Obi-Wan. “You know, I don’t recall signing up for babysitting duties,” he added. Anakin smirked.

“Really?” he said, conversational as he attempted to convince Leia that yes, the food would taste better this time, if she’d just keep it in her mouth for longer than two seconds. “Because I remember it – I think Padmé said something like, ‘Hey Obi-Wan, I was wondering where you stood on the issue of attachments’, and then I said, ‘Because we were talking it over, and the both of us would really like it if you—‘”

“Yes, alright, I do in fact remember that particular conversation,” Obi-Wan interrupted. His ears were slightly red. “I suppose I asked for this, then.”

“Stinky diapers and fussy eaters? Yes, yes you did.” He stood and reached out to take Luke from him. The boy squirmed slightly, throwing out chubby hands to grab at Obi-Wan again. “Look on the bright side – at least they both like you better than me.”

“My plan all along,” he said wryly, but he looked fond as he tapped Luke’s little fist with a finger before moving to take Anakin’s place in front of Leia.

\---

It had been a long time since Ahsoka had formally left his charge and the Jedi Order, and was now a young woman in her own right; and yet, most days it felt like he’d never quite finished raising her.

“It’s training!” she insisted, arms crossed defensively. “What happened to you trusting me to be a great teacher, huh?”

“I trust you,” Anakin said reluctantly. “I don’t trust _them_.” Luke and Leia made identical offended noises and he glared them into silence. “Listen, maybe just hold out for another year or so?”

“Daaaaaaad,” Leia complained, “we already tried it this morning – I threw Luke all the way onto the roof!”

“It was fun!” Luke added, slightly nervously. He didn’t _look_ injured… “And I threw Leia into the jopal tree, and she made it to the top branch!”

Despite himself, Anakin was impressed. “Really?” he asked. “How much of that was the run and jump, and how much was your Force push?”

The twins’ eyes lit up and they began to talk over each other, both eager to explain in exact detail what they’d done. Anakin let the noise wash over him, exchanging amused looks with Ahsoka. She was radiating smugness, too, knowing she’d gotten off the hook.

Luke was in the middle of demonstrating his Force push with (hopefully) exaggerated motions when Anakin held up a hand to quiet them both. “You’re going well with this?” he asked. The twins nodded frantically. “And you only do it when Ahsoka’s watching?” Another round of nods. He looked back at Ahsoka, who huffed.

“Like I’m just going to let them throw each other around,” she said. “I’m watching them, and I’m ready to catch them if something happens. I’m not _you_.”

“That was _one time_ …” He shook his head and fixed the twins with a stern look. “Alright,” he said, then winced as the twins’ excitement blasted through the Force. “But be _sensible_ about this, okay?” If only Obi-Wan were here to see him being a responsible Master and parent – although, on second thoughts…

“If you see Padmé come out to check on you guys, maybe don’t tell her you were throwing each other around,” he said. It was probably for the best that Obi-Wan was off-planet right now.

“You got it, Skyguy,” Ahsoka said, before adding to the twins, “This is a top secret training mission now, okay? Fall in, Jedi Knights!” The twins leapt to her side, giggling at being called Knights. Ahsoka sent him a small salute before herding them slightly further from the house.

His first kid had turned out pretty well, he thought as he headed back inside, intent on distracting Padmé from the activities outside. And Obi-Wan and Padmé had both had a hand in raising her as well, so surely the twins could only turn out even better. 

\---

Anakin has certainly been gone longer than this on missions, even since they’d made a life for themselves outside of the Order, but never without communication. Padmé glanceS at the chronometer again, drawing a breath to sigh only to find Obi-Wan’s hand on hers. He gives her a slightly strained smile.

“He’s nearly here,” he says quietly, not taking his hand away. “And he’s uninjured.”

He’s said that twice now, but still, Padmé can't help but worry. “I’ll feel better when I see him,” she says eventually. Obi-Wan smiles, more naturally this time.

“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” he murmurs, which she supposes is his way of agreeing.

And then there, on the edge of her hearing, the sound of an engine. Of a starship setting down in the fields around their house.

They both stand, hands still joined, and glance at each other before wordlessly agreeing to stay where they are. A surprise, Padmé thinks, because stars know there haven’t been enough of those in the past few months. Not the good kind, anyway.

It’s a tense few minutes before, finally, Obi-Wan squeezes her hand. And then Anakin is stepping through the door.

He looks haggard, worn and exhausted, but his face lights up at the sight of them like nothing else. He moves towards them, and a breathless laugh is forced out of her as his arms go around her waist, picking her up and spinning her before their lips meet, not so much of a kiss as it is a simple reassurance. He slows to a standstill and she realises that she’s automatically latched her legs around his waist, keeping her arms around his neck as he moves one hand from her hip to reach for Obi-Wan, who reaches right back. They lean into one another, Obi-Wan’s hands clenching in the fabric of Anakin’s tunic and Anakin clutching the back of his neck. Their foreheads are touching, eyes closed, and Padmé buries her face in her husband’s neck, certain that she can feel and bask in the simple joy they’re both emitting at their small family being back together.

Yes, _all_ their family.

“Daddy!” The three of them break apart slightly at the sound of the children yelling in unison, and a moment later the six year old twins have attached themselves to Anakin’s legs. He laughs, letting go of Obi-Wan and setting Padmé back on her feet before scooping the children up in his arms, grinning at their delighted shrieks.

“I’m home,” he tells them, quietly, and Padmé feels like her heart could burst with how much she loves him at that moment. One look at Obi-Wan lets her know that he’s feeling something similar.

She lets the kids have their moment, and then says, “Alright, it’s very late you two, and your father will still be here in the morning.” Their plaintive cries make her bite her lip in an effort not to smile.

“He needs his sleep too, you know,” Obi-Wan adds gently. The twins both frown, and then pull the identical expressions they get when they’re concentrating in the Force. It’s as endearing as it is uncanny, Padmé thinks.

“Oh,” Luke says after a moment, “you’re really tired, Daddy.” Leia reaches up to poke at the bags under Anakin’s eyes, garnering a slight wince.

“That’s right,” he says, lowering them back to the floor, “so go on. I’ll see you in the morning.”

The twins regretfully leave, mumbling their goodnights, and then it’s just the three of them again, standing there as the exhaustion finally hits them all.

“Sleep?” Anakin says, slightly apologetic.

“Sleep,” Padmé agrees firmly. Obi-Wan throws her a grateful look, as if she would have the energy to do anything in bed besides sleep right then, as if she would keep him out after how long Anakin’s been away.

They change into sleepwear quietly, separately. Anakin takes the opportunity to use the shower, bemoaning the fact that he’s been without real water showers for over two weeks now. In his absence, Padmé and Obi-Wan both fall into bed, gravitating together in a way that’s become second nature in the weeks past. Indeed, it’s natural enough that Padmé almost falls asleep before she hears the water in the shower stop. After another minute, the bed dips, and Anakin crawls his way blindly up the bed, feeling out where the two of them lie and then collapsing himself in between them.

“Really, Anakin,” Obi-Wan grumbles, but he just shifts to accommodate him, then wraps an arm around his waist. Padmé curls in against Anakin’s side, smiling against the bare skin of his chest when she feels his arm on her back, pulling her closer to him. She rests a hand on his stomach, fingertips brushing Obi-Wan’s arm, and for the first time in weeks she feels complete.

 


End file.
